Thematic Accuracy of the 1992 National Land-Cover Data (Nlcd) for the Eastern United States: Statistical Methodology and Regional Results

Abstract:

The accuracy of the National Land Cover Data (NLCD) map is assessed via a probability sampling design incorporating three levels of stratification and two stages of selection. Agreement between the map and reference land-cover labels is defined as a match between the primary or alternate reference label determined for a sample pixel and a mode class of the mapped 3x3 block of pixels centered on the sample pixel. Results are reported for each of the four regions comprising the Eastern United States for both Anderson Level I and II classifications. Overall accuracies for Levels I and II are 80% and 46% for New England, 82% and 62% for New York/New Jersey, 70% and 43% for the Mid- Atlantic, and 83% and 66% for the Southeast.